CHURCH OF HOPE EVANGELISM AND MINISTRY TRAINING COURSE BY EMAIL AND WEBSITE: STUDY GUIDE: WEEK NINE TOPIC EIGHT: BECOMING A LEADER OF INFLUENCE INTRODUCTION TO WEEK NINE: As we continue this week in the making of mature disciples segment of the Evangelism and Ministry Training Course, we will be looking at the topic of Becoming a Leader of Influence. Every believer has been called to reign with Christ here on earth and to make a difference in this world for eternity, to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. As believers we have the ability to bring a godly change to our workplaces and schools and communities as we live for the Lord. (Matthew 5:13-16) In the book of Revelation we read, And they sang a new song, saying: You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe, tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; AND WE SHALL REIGN ON THE EARTH. (Revelation 5:9-10) As parents we also have the responsibility of raising up and leading our children in the ways of the Lord (Leading best by example), so in many ways learning how to become a more effective leader is crucial if we are to maximise what God can do in and through our lives as believers. Within the Body of Christ, God also calls certain believers into the five-fold ministry to help equip other believers for the work of ministry. The Apostle Paul wrote, And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the EQUIPPING of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God. (Ephesians 4:11-13) As pastors and leaders in the five-fold ministry, it is so important that we model what it is to live a God glorifying life and what it is to be a leader of influence. (1 Timothy 4:12) This study is to help all Christians to become better leaders and to help those in the five-fold ministry to be more effective in leading their churches and ministry team members. As leaders we have the potential to inspire many believers to fulfil their God given destiny but also the capability of negatively impacting the lives of others if we have poor character and inadequate leadership skills. As leaders we will receive a stricter judgement when we stand before the Lord. For this reason having a teachable spirit and learning how to be a better leader and role model for those entrusted to our care is very important. In the book of James we read, My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. (James 3:1) Jesus Christ was a great leader who trained up a group of disciples who would help to see the church being established and which now numbers over two billion believers. We can learn much from His life here on earth. When we look at the life of Jesus Christ we see that; i) He only did what His Father told Him to do (John 4:34) (John 17:1-4), ii) He was focused on seeing God s Kingdom being established here on earth (Mark 1:14-15), iii) He had a great love and compassion for all people (Matthew 9:36), iv) He lived to serve others (Matthew 20:28), v) He spent much time in prayer (Luke 5:16), vi) He ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:14-19) (Acts 10:38), vii) He continually ministered the Word of God,...teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom... (Matthew 9:35), vii) He modelled what it was to live a God glorifying life (Mark 1:38-41), ix) He was prepared to make sacrifices for others (Luke 9:58) (Hebrews 12:2), and ix) A key focus of Jesus was on raising up leaders (disciples) that would help to train up other believers to fulfil the Great Commission. (Matthew 28:16-20) Self Leadership is also a very important part of being a great leader. We must also focus on developing our God given gifts and talents through the study of the Word, reading good bible based books on leadership and allowing godly Christians to speak into our life and to mentor us. There is a saying that Leaders are Readers. Self leadership also involves being disciplined in the use of our time and in following the will of God for our life. We can also learn much from other great leaders in the Bible. I will now just look briefly at some of the traits of four great leaders in the Bible before we begin looking at some key things to consider in relation to being a leader of influence and what are some of the attributes of great leaders.
THE APOSTLE PAUL - Had a great love and concern for all the churches and had a heart to make mature disciples (Galatians 4:19) (1 Thessalonians 2:7-8) (2 Corinthians 11:28) (Acts 19:1-10) - Had a great love for the lost and a great passion for seeing people come to faith (1 Corinthians 9:19-23) - Would not allow trials and even imprisonments to stop him from fulfilling God s plan for his life (Acts 20:23-24) - Had a great trust in God s faithfulness and ability to deliver him from all trials (2 Corinthians 1:9-10) - Lived a life totally consecrated to the Lord and was a man of prayer (Philippians 3:8) (Acts 16:25-26) - Was a father of the faith (1 Corinthians 4:15-16) and mentored many disciples such as Timothy (Acts 16:1-5) - The way He lived his life was an example to others (1 Thessalonians 2:4-10), and - He used his time wisely in living for the Kingdom cause. The apostle Paul achieved much in his life here on earth. He wrote around one third of the New Testament, planted many churches and went on three lengthy missionary trips (Acts 12:25-14:28) (Acts 15:36-18:22) (Acts 18:23-21:14) before his journey to Rome after he had ministered again in Jerusalem. (Acts 21:15-23:35) (Acts 27:1-28:31) - The Apostle Paul wrote, See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:15-17) KING DAVID - Was a man after God s own heart and a worshiper (Acts 13:22) (Psalm 63:1-5) - He had a great desire to do the will of God. (Psalm 143:9) - He learned to strengthen Himself in the LORD when going through trials (1 Samuel 30:6) - King David was a man of great courage and led Israel to many victories against enemy armies. - He had great faith in God s ability to deliver him from his enemies and he knew that with God on his side nothing was impossible. (1 Samuel 17:1-11) (1 Samuel 17:32-51) - He was a great role model and inspiration to others. King David s mighty army began with people who were unmotivated and down on life, people who were distressed, in debt and discontented. (1 Samuel 22:1-2) Through King David s influence they became mighty men of valour who did great exploits (2 Samuel 23:8-39) NEHEMIAH - Had a great heart for God s people (His brethren) and was motivated by compassion (Nehemiah 1:2-4) - Was prepared to make sacrifices and to leave a comfortable lifestyle in the Kings Palace to pursue his God given passion to see the wall around Jerusalem being rebuilt - Was a man of prayer and intercession (Nehemiah 1:4-11) - Was a leader of vision - God had put on his heart (Nehemiah 2:12) to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem - Was able to attract others to work together in unity to see the vision come to pass (Nehemiah 2:17-18) - Completely trusted in God s faithfulness (Nehemiah 4:7-9) (Nehemiah 4:14) - Was focused and would not be sidetracked from his God given assignment by opposition (Nehemiah 6:1-4) JOSEPH - Had a clear vision (dreams) for his life (Genesis 37:5-11) - Was a man of Godly character and would not compromise when faced with temptations to sin (Genesis 39:7-12) - Grew better and not bitter when he went through many years of trials, betrayals and injustices - Had favour wherever he found himself (Genesis 39:23) - Was committed to seeing God s plan for his life come to pass and knew that God was sovereign in all things - Became a man of great humility and compassion as a result of all the trials that he went through (Genesis 45:1:11) Overcoming trials is an important part of being prepared for greatness in God s Kingdom
SOME IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER IN RELATION TO BEING A LEADER OF INFLUENCE i) All Great Christian Leaders have lived a life that has been set apart for God and for others. Jesus Christ was our example of living for others (Matthew 20:28) The Apostle Paul wrote, I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) Those that have made a great difference in this world for God s Kingdom such as Mother Therese, William Carey, William and Catherine Booth who pioneered the Salvation Army, William Tyndale and Reinherd Bonnke to name just a few, have all made incredible sacrifices for the cause of Christ. William Booth was quoted as saying The greatness of the man s power is the measure of his surrender. Jesus Himself said, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of what falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honour. (John 12:24-26) ii) The importance of allowing the LORD to develop Christ-like character in our life (Romans 8:28-29) It is so important that we continually yield to the work of the Holy Spirit in our life so that we become more Christ-like over time. As leaders influence many lives, we need as pastors and leaders to have a great desire to continually grow in godly character and in the fruit of the Spirit, (Galatians 5:22-23) so that our lives become greater role models for others. (1 Timothy 4:12) MAINTAINING an intimate abiding relationship with the Lord is the key to growing in Christ-like character (John 15:4-5) (Psalm 63:1-5) (Psalm 37:4) iii) The importance of being a leader of vision (Someone who seeks God for His vision and plan for their life and church or ministry) and who is able to communicate the vision to others clearly (Habakkuk 2:1-3) (Please refer to Attachment One Being a Leader of Vision teaching) A church which has a clear written down vision for people to read will see people being attracted to the life and vision of the church. Regularly sharing the vision for the church helps to keep the church thriving and active. Loving, outreach focused local churches have the potential to help see their communities being transformed by the love of Christ. iv) The importance of seeking Godly wisdom (We continually need God s wisdom to make right choices in life) King Solomon asked for wisdom to lead Israel when asked by God what he wanted in a dream. (1 Kings 3:5-13) The book of Proverbs is full of references to the importance of gaining Godly wisdom. (Proverbs 3:13) (Proverbs 16:21) (Proverbs 19:8) Having Godly mentors in our life is also a key to gaining greater wisdom to continually make right choices in life. Being accountable to other mature Christians is a real safeguard that helps to prevent us from making wrong choices in life. (Proverbs 11:14) (Proverbs 15:22) v) THREE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF LEADERSHIP - Godly WISDOM to know what to do at any given time - COURAGE to do what is right no matter what the consequences - STRENGTH to actually have the capacity to do it, and to STICK with it until it is done vi) Good leaders raise up and disciple many other leaders to leave a legacy that lasts beyond their own life The Apostle Paul wrote to the young pastor Timothy, And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. (2 Timothy 2:2) vii) We need to be strong in every area of our life. We will only rise to the lowest ceiling in our life. A leader will only rise to the LOWEST of the following ceilings, - PHYSICAL (Diet, Rest, Sleep, Exercise, Health) - EMOTIONAL (Healthy relationships, ability to deal with negative emotions, stability) - MENTAL (Ability to deal with stress, ability to TRUST God, ability to prioritise, delegate) - SPIRITUAL (Prayer life, Worship life, Knowledge of God s Word, FAITH / Resting in God)
THREE IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES OF GREAT LEADERS (Please refer to Attachment Number Two) - Humility Moses, who was raised up by God to lead the Children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt, was referred to as being the most humble man on earth (Numbers 12:3) In God s Kingdom people descend to greatness. The more we humble ourselves the more God can raise us up to do great things for His glory. (James 4:10) The bible makes it clear that pride always precedes a fall. (Proverbs 16:18) God will never share His glory with any man. (1 Corinthians 1:26-31) (1 Corinthians 10:31) Great leaders acknowledge their humble dependence on God but also know that they can do all things through Christ Who strengthens them. (Philippians 4:13) The Apostle Paul wrote, Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11) - Having a Servant Heart Jesus was referred to as being the Servant King. If we are to develop a culture of serving in our churches we need as leaders to follow Jesus example of living for and serving others. In God s Kingdom greatness comes from serving others. (Matthew 20:20-28) The great leaders in the bible all first served others before God raised them up into positions of leadership themselves. King David first served King Saul, (1 Samuel 18:5) Moses first served his father in law Jethro, (Exodus 3:1) and Joshua was Moses faithful servant before God raised him up to lead the Children of Israel into the Promised Land. (Joshua 1:1-9) Jesus Himself said, And if you have not been faithful in what is another man s, who will give you what is your own? (Luke 16:12) Great leaders have a servant heart and live for others. - Having a teachable spirit To fulfil all that God has planned for our life we need to develop a teachable spirit. We all come into this world knowing nothing. The more teachable we are, the more we can learn and grow in our walk with the Lord and the fewer mistakes we will make in life. The book of Proverbs makes it clear that having a teachable spirit is vital to living a life of fruitfulness and to walking in victory. (Proverbs 9:9) (Proverbs 12:1) (Proverbs 19:20) In the book of Hosea we read, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge... (Hosea 4:6) There are three types of people. There are people who learn from other people s mistakes and from the godly counsel of others (those who have a teachable spirit), those who learn from their own mistakes (those who are harder to teach) and those who never learn (unteachable). Great leaders have a teachable spirit and are open to receiving loving correction from others and to having people speaking into their lives. Having a teachable spirit is a great key to fulfilling our God given destiny. When appointing leaders it is so important that we see a teachable spirit in those that we are placing into leadership roles. Typically those who suffer from rejection are more likely to be defensive when there is a need to speak correction into their life. So for this reason it is not good to hastily appoint new believers into positions of leadership. (1 Timothy 5:22) (1 Timothy 3:6-7) It is vitally important as pastors to continually encourage all believers to grow in their walk with the Lord and to become secure in Him before seeking to be placed in leadership roles. (Character First) The greater the responsibility, the greater the warfare and temptations we also experience. (1 Peter 5:8-9) It is therefore important for all believers to be encouraged to grow strong in their faith and to become complete in Christ and to learn how to walk in the Spirit and in love towards others first. For this reason as leaders we should only appoint people into leadership roles as the Lord directs us to. (Acts 13:2)
OTHER ATTRIBUTES OF GREAT LEADERS (With Scripture References) 1) They have a close and INTIMATE relationship with the Lord which enables them to know the heart of God and His will for their lives (Psalm 37:4) (Jeremiah 23:18) (Jeremiah 23:22) (Isaiah 28:29) (Proverbs 3:5-6) They are: i) Worshippers (John 4:23-24) ii) Prayer Warriors (2 Chronicles 7:14) (Ezekiel 22:30) who lead a lifestyle of prayer (Philippians 4:6-7) (1 Thessalonians 5:17) iii) People who regularly meditate on the Word of God (Joshua 1:8) (John 8:31-32) (Psalm 119:105) iv) People who have God s heart and compassion for lost souls (Matthew 9:36) v) They have been baptized in the Holy Spirit (The gifts of the Spirit include: the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, the gift of faith and discerning of spirits) (1 Corinthians 12:7-10) The Apostle Paul wrote, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19) 2) Great leaders have a clear vision for their life and church and are able to effectively communicate that vision to others (Habakkuk 2:2-3) 3) They are STRONG and COURAGEOUS - They never give up on God s plan for their life (Joshua 1:6-9) 4) They have a great LOVE for and COMMITMENT to those they are leading or shepherding (John 21:15-17) 5) They are TOTALLY GOD DEPENDENT and lead a life of obedience. (Proverbs 3:5-6) (Jeremiah 17:7-8) (Psalm 37:3-5) They are people of great faith. (Hebrews 11:1) (Hebrews 11:6-12) They believe that nothing is impossible with God. (Luke 1:37) They are people who believe that God is able to turn their city around and to bring healing and deliverance and salvation to their community. (Acts 8:4-8) 6) They are great encouragers (Acts 11:22-24) (Hebrews 10:24-25) 7) Great leaders have a willingness to delegate authority and responsibilities to others. They are secure in their leadership role and in who they are in Christ. They delegate tasks to others so that they can focus on doing things that others cannot do (Exodus 18:14-24) (Acts 6:1-7) 8) They complete tasks (They are committed to finishing what God has called them to do) Moses was faithful to the end. Jesus finished what His Father had given Him to do here on earth (John 4:34) (John 17:4) (Galatians 6:9) (Hebrews 10:35-36) 9) They are honest and have integrity in all that they do. They are people of good character (Titus 1:5-9) 10) They live and model what it is to lead a God glorifying life and are great examples to others (1 Peter 5:1-4) 11) They manage their time well. They are well organised and make plans with deadlines (Proverbs 21:5) 12) They are committed to mentoring the next generation of leaders (2 Timothy 2:2) 13) They see the POTENTIAL in others. They never give up on people. They continually speak destiny and vision over people s lives (Jeremiah 29:11) (Proverbs 15:23) 14) They have a healthy reverential fear of the Lord which is the beginning of all wisdom (Proverbs 1:7) 15) They are team players and get involved in tasks that need to be done 16) They are responsible for their actions and will acknowledge when they have made a mistake (1 John 1:9) 17) They are open and transparent and very approachable. People feel at ease in their presence 18) They have a generous love and compassion for others. (John 13:34-35) Ministry is all about people. Having a genuine love for others is a key to helping see people coming to Christ and fulfilling their God given destiny. ALL THAT WE DO IN MINISTRY AND LIFE NEEDS TO BE UNDERGIRDED BY LOVE 19) They have fully surrendered their lives for the cause of Christ (Luke 9:23-24) (John 12:24-26) (Isaiah 6:8) They have an excellent spirit and they give their best for the cause of Christ (Daniel 6:3)